Development at 11400 South will bring new businesses to Sandy

Sandy City officials have announced developer MicAM, LLC is planning a new development at 11400 South State Street just south of Costco that will bring new businesses not seen before in Utah.

Scheels Department Store will anchor the development. The 220,000-square-foot building will offer the largest selection of sports, sportswear and footwear under one roof in the state, company president Steve Scheels said. In addition to shopping, it will also feature several eateries, a 65-foot Ferris wheel and a 65,000-gallon saltwater aquarium. And that's just the start.

"Scheels will be a beautiful addition and will provide a new retail and entertainment opportunity for the residents of Sandy and Salt Lake County, as well as provide more than 400 new jobs to our local economy," Mayor Tom Dolan said. "Their reputation as one of the best retailers in the country, along with their high standards of excellence, will be right at home with the other great companies that are already a part of Sandy."

Scheels has 23 stores in eight different states, including North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Nevada The store is unlike anything in Utah right now and isn't just a shopping destination.

Recreation opportunities like simulators, a shooting range and the U.S. Presidents Walk are some of the entertainment families can expect. It also features a variety of specialty shops in one location, ranging from fashion apparel to hunting and fishing shops to shoes for the whole family. It will carry sports equipment that already appeals to many Utah residents like skis, canoes, golf equipment and hunting equipment.

Construction began on the project in February and will be completed in late 2012. When the store opens, it will employ more than 300.

"Scheels fulfills another key component of the economic development plan for Sandy by providing an anchor for the south end of Sandy's central business district. They will be the catalyst to bring new and exciting opportunities to the new 11400 South interchange," Economic Development Director Nick Duerksen said.

Dolan said by having such a well known retailer anchoring the One Fourteen development, it will bring other businesses in. Talks are already in progress to bring several businesses to the area. However, Dolan said until contracts are signed, he cannot comment on what those businesses are.

"Great businesses attract other great businesses, and that's what we wanted from the start," he said. "We are working on bringing several other businesses to Sandy that have never had a presence here in the state."

Steve Scheels is the president of Scheels Department Stores and a great-great grandson to Scheels founder Frederick A. Scheel. Steve Scheels said Sandy fits the company's family-oriented business plan because of its proximity to recreation opportunities. There is a market for all aspects of their business plan, from hunting and fishing to golf, skiing and clothing and shoes for the whole family.

"We have been studying this market for more than six years and we love the overall demographics of the market, combined with the opportunity in all aspects of our business," he said.

Dolan said bringing Scheels to Sandy was a collaborative effort between the Canyons School District, Salt Lake County and Sandy.

Those entities agreed to participate in the creation of a Commercial Development Area designation for the area which will result in a portion of sales and property taxes for the site being rebated to Scheels over the next several years. This incentive helped Scheels representatives decide between the site and other in Boise, Idaho, according to Duerksen.

All the parties involved wanted to see this landmark store brought to Sandy, Dolan said.

Photo caption: A new shopping development at 11400 South called One Fourteen will feature a 65-foot Ferris wheel inside the store. Construction started on the site in February.